Many Iowa Hawkeyes and Minnesota Golden Gophers fans are pig farmers, but there's one particular hog they are worrying about this week that doesn't even involve real bacon. 

Saturday marks the 120th iteration of the historic Iowa-Minnesota rivalry game and the 92nd time the two programs will play for one of the most unique and beloved trophies in the sport - a 98-pound bronze pig that they call Floyd of Rosedale. No pork can be produced from this prized hog, but the fruit it brings remains of pristine value to players, coaches, and fans alike. 

The Hawkeyes are heavy favorites to keep the trophy in Iowa City for the 11th time in 12 seasons, but P.J. Fleck and his Gophers have something to say about that. The 10th-year head coach has managed to build Minnesota into a respectable program during his tenure, but there's one glaring flaw on his resume that Gopher fans are always quick to point out: he can't beat Iowa. 

Fleck is just 1-8 against the Hawkeyes, with his lone win coming in controversial fashion in 2023. He's desperately hoping 2026 can be the year his Gophers can beat their hated rival at home, but only time will tell to see if that can come to fruition. 

In honor of Fleck celebrating a decade as Minnesota's head man this year, let's rank every time Kirk Ferentz has gotten the best of Fleck over the years. 

Rankings were determined based on two factors: the quality of the actual football game and how memorable it remains today. 

Let's get into it. 

This late-October clash at Kinnick Stadium was a microcosm of how both teams performed that year. Iowa managed just 315 yards of total offense, but a 45-yard touchdown pass from Nate Stanley to Noah Fant helped the Hawkeyes hold on for a 17-10 win. Iowa finished the season 8-5, while Minnesota went 5-7 and missed a bowl game - the only time that has happened in a full season under Fleck. 

Iowa's putrid offense made it a national laughingstock in 2022, but it stayed alive in the Big Ten West title race with this 13-10 victory in Minneapolis. The Hawkeyes were outgained by over 100 yards, but used 10 quick points and two costly Minnesota turnovers to win the game on a chip shot field goal from Drew Stevens. Iowa would blow its chance to win the division with a home loss to Nebraska the following weekend and finished 8-5, while the Gophers went 9-4. 

Iowa's offensive struggles in 2022 didn't surprise anyone because the warning signs were already there in 2021. The Hawkeyes raced out to a 6-0 start that included a dramatic win over then-No. 4 Penn State, but were barely treading water by the time they played Minnesota at Kinnick Stadium. Alex Padilla got the start over Spencer Petras, and though he accounted for 74% of Iowa's total yardage, the Hawkeyes made enough plays to escape with a 27-22 win. 

The victory powered the Hawkeyes to an eventual Big Ten West title and 10-4 record, but it's not memorable enough to be any higher than sixth. The Gophers finished 9-4. 

This game is remembered as the Kaleb Johnson game for good reason. The star running back tallied 206 yards and three touchdowns in Iowa's 31-14 win at Huntington Bank Stadium. It was a good thing he existed, because Cade McNamara threw for just 62 passing yards. Johnson's record-setting 2024 season will always be fondly remembered, but considering that Hawkeye fans like to forget the 2024 team, this win can't be ranked any higher. 

Both teams finished the year with identical 8-5 marks. 

There's a bit of recency bias with this one, but this was a straight-up beatdown at Kinnick Stadium. Minnesota quarterback Drake Lindsey couldn't do anything in the passing game, and that was because of a dominant performance by the Hawkeye defense. Zach Lutmer collected a 34-yard pick six in the first half, and Iowa rode that momentum to a 41-3 victory. Thirty-one of those points came before the midway point of the second quarter, too. 

I'm not sure if Iowa fans will remember this one down the road, but considering this Hawkeye team dealt with close losses all season, this blowout win over a rival was definitely satisfying for them and their fans. 

Iowa finished the 2025 season 9-4, while Minnesota finished 8-5. 

This is where the memorable games start to come up. The COVID-19-shortened 2020 season will go down as one of the most-bizarre seasons in the history of college football, but it did produce a so-called "sassy" Ferentz moment. The actual 2020 Floyd of Rosedale game ended with a decisive 35-7 Hawkeye win, but it's what Ferentz said after the game that Iowa fans still talk about. 

With the Hawkeyes leading 35-0 late in the fourth quarter, Minnesota drove deep into Iowa territory looking for some points to walk away with something. The Gophers burned a timeout with 19 seconds left, and Ferentz responded by doing the same thing. Minnesota did score a late touchdown, but here's what Ferentz had to say about the late timeout. 

His remark after the game: "[I] thought we'd take Floyd with us and leave the timeouts here [in Minneapolis]." 

You simply won't find a better Ferentz quote than that one, and that's why this game lands in the top-3. 

Iowa finished the year 6-2, while Minnesota went 3-4. 

This was one of the most-complete offensive performances of the Brian Ferentz era. Quarterback Nate Stanley was on point from the start, and he ultimately tossed 314 passing yards and four touchdowns. The final score ended in a comfortable 48-31 margin for the Hawkeyes, but it lands in the top-3 because of T.J. Hockenson's trick play touchdown in the second quarter. 

Iowa doesn't call many trick plays, but they've usually been a massive success when it does confuse the opponent. The Hawkeyes finished the 2018 season at 9-4, while Minnesota went 7-6. 

Those of you who follow me on X knew which game was going to hold the top spot long before this article was written. It just makes perfect sense to have this one here, too. This was one of the rare times in the modern era where Minnesota was ranked higher than Iowa, and believe it or not, the 2019 Gophers entered this clash at Kinnick 9-0 and ranked No. 8 in the country. 

On the flip side, Iowa was coming off a disappointing 24-22 loss to rival Wisconsin that essentially eliminated it from Big Ten West title contention. But as they always say, Kinnick Stadium is where ranked teams come to die, and that's exactly what happened in this Nov. 16 contest. 

Iowa scored the first 20 points of this game before hanging on for dear life and winning 23-19. Riley Moss clinched the victory with a fourth down interception, and it was pandemonium in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes finished the year 10-3, while Minnesota went 11-2 and finished ranked in the AP top-10. 

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HawkeyeRoundtable publisher Brad Schultz has covered the Iowa Hawkeyes since 2023. To send him story ideas, scoops, or criticize his writing, reach him at [email protected]